Optimise logistics, cope with peak season in a relaxed manner

The peak season is upon us and with it not only one of the busiest times of the year. It is also the time when logistics reaches its limits for many retailers. Those who want to meet logistical challenges in a relaxed manner therefore need the right logistics concept. But how can retailers position themselves optimally for the peak season and optimise their logistics?

It's coming at the end of the year: The peak season. And with it an enormously important time for (online) retailers. According to EHI retail data, online retailers make about a quarter of their annual turnover during the last two months of the year. No wonder, because orders increase by leaps and bounds before the festive season and on promotion days. And this is the case in all retail sectors. However, the increasing number of orders does not only cause enthusiasm in the retail trade due to high sales. Above all, they also pose enormous challenges for logistics. Companies should therefore take a close look at their intralogistics processes and optimise logistics so that customers receive their products on time.

Counteracting supply problems at an early stage

Christmas 2021 is marked by strained supply chains. To ensure that goods do not fail to arrive, it is important to take delivery problems into account early on in the planning process. If they have not already done so, retailers should invest in digital real-time data exchange. In this way, they can react to sudden delivery problems at an early stage and counteract them as quickly as possible.

Delivery problems do not always lead to a complete lack of products. Sometimes, however, the time span for on-time delivery is greatly reduced. In order to still be able to deliver on time, traders should therefore optimise the processes for goods removal, packaging and dispatch in logistics.

Optimise logistics: From goods withdrawal to shipping

The entire order processing should be automated or digitally supported as much as possible. This not only relieves employees during peak season, but also reduces the error rate. The optimisation includes the removal of goods, the packaging and the dispatch. For example, robotics, conveyor belts or drones can automate processes in the removal of goods. Companies can also rely on semi-automated systems such as pick-to-light or pick-by-voice.

Automation of the packaging process is possible with appropriate equipment. When it comes to packaging and choosing the right shipping method, retailers should not only consider the time component. After all, customers not only want to have their products delivered quickly, but also at the lowest possible cost. The shipping costs should therefore not be too high.

All this means for retailers and their intralogistics: on the one hand, the packaging should correspond to the product size in order to keep shipping costs low. On the other hand, the transport of goods should be optimised in terms of routing. This way, parcels and packages can reach customers as quickly and cheaply as possible.

Fulfilment as a strong support during the peak season

It is not always worthwhile for retailers to completely optimise the intralogistics in their own warehouses. Sometimes it therefore makes sense to rely on fulfilment providers for order-intensive periods such as peak season. This also applies if the adjustments in intralogistics can no longer be implemented at short notice. Fulfilment providers like PARCEL.ONE offer retailers optimal help during peak season. This is because they already have the necessary automation and expertise to carry out the entire order processing up to and including shipping for customers and retailers quickly and cost-effectively.

Would you like to find out more about PARCEL.ONE's fulfilment services? Read more about fulfilment and other solutions here.